Depends on what your goals are, but I would cut out driving to Texas and to Knoxville as a start. Just fly to Austin for a weekend if you’re keen on going.

I would rather do a road trip around all the Utah area national parks instead.

If you do end up coming through Atlanta, I’m happy to be a bit of a tour guide!

• south FL/Everglades/keys/swimming with manatees
• pretty FL beaches
• is Disney/Universal theme parks your jam? If so, stop by Orlando
• skip Jacksonville
• driving through FL is boring
• stop in Savannah
• Charleston is good
• Atlanta has civil rights history
• go to Asheville (mountains, hiking, breweries)
• skip Knoxville
• Nashville is very fun “nashvegas”
• Louisville KY is fun/pretty if you like horses and bourbon
• north Alabama has Huntsville with NASA
• Birmingham is okay
• NOLA is fun but a boring drive since there’s nothing else in Mississippi or Louisiana
• the florida panhandle also has pretty beaches
• Tampa is fun
  

Hope this helps! It will still be hot and humid in the southeast.